obama

“For me, patriotism is
always more than just
loyalty to a place on a
map or a certain kind
of people. Instead,
it is also loyalty to
America’s ideals –
ideals for which anyone
can sacrifice, or defend,
or give their last full
measure of devotion.”
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Of course, precisely because America isn’t perfect, precisely
because our ideals constantly demand more from us, patriotism
can never be defined as loyalty to any particular leader or
government or policy. As Mark Twain, that greatest of American
satirists and proud son of Missouri, once wrote, “Patriotism
is supporting your country all the time, and your government
when it deserves it.” We may hope that our leaders and our
government stand up for our ideals, and there are many times
in our history when that’s occurred. But when our laws, our
leaders or our government are out of alignment with our ideals,
then the dissent of ordinary Americans may prove to be
one of the truest expression of patriotism.
…
Beyond a loyalty to America’s ideals, beyond a willingness to
dissent on behalf of those ideals, I also believe that patriotism
must, if it is to mean anything, involve the willingness to sacrifice
— to give up something we value on behalf of a larger
cause. For those who have fought under the flag of this nation
no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary. And let me also
add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially
for the sake of a political campaign, and that goes for supporters
on both sides.
We must always express our profound gratitude for the service
of our men and women in uniform. Period. Indeed, one
of the good things to emerge from the current conflict in Iraq